Fort Niagara, also known as Old Fort Niagara, is a fortification originally built by

New France New France (, ) was the territory colonized by Kingdom of France, France in North America, beginning with the exploration of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Kingdom of Great Br ...

to protect its interests in North America, specifically control of access between the

Niagara River The Niagara River ( ) flows north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario, forming part of the border between Ontario, Canada, to the west, and New York, United States, to the east. The origin of the river's name is debated. Iroquoian scholar Bruce T ...

and

Lake Ontario Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north, west, and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south and east by the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. The Canada–United Sta ...

, the easternmost of the Great Lakes. The fort is on the river's eastern bank at its mouth on Lake Ontario. Youngstown, New York, later developed nearby. The British took over the fort in 1759 during the

French and Indian War The French and Indian War, 1754 to 1763, was a colonial conflict in North America between Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of France, France, along with their respective Native Americans in the United States, Native American ...

. Although the United States ostensibly was ceded the fort after it gained independence in the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

, the British stayed until 1796. Transfer to the U.S. came after signing of the

Jay Treaty The Treaty of Amity, Commerce, and Navigation, Between His Britannic Majesty and the United States of America, commonly known as the Jay Treaty, and also as Jay's Treaty, was a 1794 treaty between the United States and Great Britain that averted ...

that reaffirmed and implemented the legal border with British Canada. Although the US Army deactivated the fort in 1963, the Coast Guard continues to have a presence. A non-profit group operates the fort and grounds as a state park and preserves it in part as a museum and site for historical re-enactments. It is also a venue for special events related to the region's history.

Origin

René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle (; November 22, 1643 – March 19, 1687), was a 17th-century French explorer and North American fur trade, fur trader in North America. He explored the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada ...

, built the first fortified structure, called Fort Conti, in 1678. In 1687, the Governor of New France, the Marquis de Denonville, replaced it with a new fort. He named it Fort Denonville and posted a hundred men as a garrison under the command of Capt.

Pierre de Troyes, Chevalier de Troyes Pierre de Troyes (born at unknown date – died 1688) was a captain that led the French capture of Moose Factory, Rupert House, and Fort Albany on Hudson Bay 1686. Arrival in Canada A captain in the French army de Troyes arrived at Quebec in A ...

. The winter weather and disease was severe, and all but twelve died by the time a relief force returned from

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

. The government decided in September 1688 to abandon the post and had the stockade pulled down. Louis-Thomas Chabert de Joncaire was dispatched to the

Seneca people The Seneca ( ; ) are a group of Indigenous Iroquoian-speaking people who historically lived south of Lake Ontario, one of the five Great Lakes in North America. Their nation was the farthest to the west within the Six Nations or Iroquois Leag ...

, one of the Five Nations of the Iroquois League, to obtain permission to build a French post on the banks of the river. He spoke to several chiefs in 1720, explaining his pleasure was always great when he visited them but that he would do it more spontaneously if he had a dwelling place. Considering that he was of the tribe since his turbulent captivity and his "adoption", the chiefs agreed he had the right to build a dwelling where they chose. Joncaire and eight men dispatched from Fort Frontenac built a

trading post A trading post, trading station, or trading house, also known as a factory in European and colonial contexts, is an establishment or settlement where goods and services could be traded. Typically a trading post allows people from one geogr ...

, called ''Magasin Royal'' or ''Maison de la Paix'' (Royal Store or House of Peace) on the right bank of the river (going downstream). The name was intended to emphasize the French peaceful intent, to exchange goods for furs here. Porte des Cinq Nations

In 1726, French engineer Gaspard-Joseph Chaussegros de Léry built a two-story ''Maison à Machicoulis'' or "Machicolated House" on the site to replace the old fort. In 1755 the French expanded the fort to its present size in response to the armed confrontation that started between French and British colonial interests as part of the

Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War, 1756 to 1763, was a Great Power conflict fought primarily in Europe, with significant subsidiary campaigns in North America and South Asia. The protagonists were Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of Prus ...

in Europe. In North America, British colonists called this the

; both sides cultivated Native American allies. The name used today, "The French Castle", was not used until the 19th century.

British and American control

The fort was a strategic site in the French and Indian War. It fell to the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

after they conducted a nineteen-day siege in July 1759, which was called the Battle of Fort Niagara. The French relief force sent to relieve the besieged garrison was ambushed at the Battle of La Belle-Famille. The post's commander, Pierre Pouchot, surrendered the fort to the British commander, Sir William Johnson, who initially led the New York Militia. The Irish-born Johnson became the expedition's leader after General John Prideaux literally lost his head; he stepped in front of a mortar being test-fired during the siege. The British controlled the fort for the next thirty-seven years before they handed it over to the Americans after the Revolutionary War. DSCN4355 oldfortniagaraactors e

Fort Niagara served as the Loyalist base in New York during the American Revolutionary War for Colonel John Butler and his

Butler's Rangers Butler's Rangers (1777–1784) was a Loyalist provincial military unit of the American Revolutionary War, raised by American loyalist John Butler. Most members of the regiment were Loyalists from upstate New York and northeastern Pennsylvania. T ...

, a provincial military unit. Lt. Col.

William Stacy William Stacy (February 15, 1734 – August 1802) was an officer of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and a pioneer to the Ohio Country. Published histories describe Colonel William Stacy's involvement in a variety ...

, a high-ranking officer of the

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies representing the Thirteen Colonies and later the United States during the American Revolutionary War. It was formed on June 14, 1775, by a resolution passed by the Second Continental Co ...

, was captured by Butler's Rangers in their attack on Cherry Valley, New York. He was held captive at Fort Niagara during the summer of 1779. Niagara became notorious for drinking, brawling, whoring, and cheating. Crude taverns, stores, and bordellos sprouted on "the Bottom", the riverside flat below the fort. Though the British ceded Fort Niagara to the United States after the Treaty of Paris ended the

American War of Independence The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

in 1783, the region remained effectively under British control for thirteen years. Only after signing of the

did American forces occupy the fort in 1796. In the interim,

United Empire Loyalists United Empire Loyalist (UEL; or simply Loyalist) is an honorific title which was first given by Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester, the 1st Lord Dorchester, the governor of Province of Quebec (1763–1791), Quebec and Governor General, governor ...

fleeing persecution in the new US were given land grants, typically per inhabitant in

Upper Canada The Province of Upper Canada () was a Province, part of The Canadas, British Canada established in 1791 by the Kingdom of Great Britain, to govern the central third of the lands in British North America, formerly part of the Province of Queb ...

, and some were partly sustained in the early years by aid from the fort's military stores. During the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States United States declaration of war on the Uni ...

, the fort's guns sank the

Provincial Marine The Provincial Marine or Marine Department was a coastal protection service in charge of the waters in the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence River and parts of Lake Champlain under British control. While ships of the Provincial Marine were design ...

schooner ''Seneca'' on November 21, 1812. British forces captured the fort on the night of December 19, 1813, in retaliation for the Americans' burning of Niagara, formerly called Newark, nine days earlier. Newark had been renamed Niagara in 1796. The British held the fort until they relinquished it under the terms of the

Treaty of Ghent The Treaty of Ghent () was the peace treaty that ended the War of 1812 between the United States and the United Kingdom. It took effect in February 1815. Both sides signed it on December 24, 1814, in the city of Ghent, United Netherlands (now in ...

. It has remained in US custody ever since. Nine currently active battalions of the Regular Army (4-1 FA, 1-2 Inf, 2-2 Inf, 1-3 Inf, 2-3 Inf, 4-3 Inf, 1-4 Inf, 2-4 Inf and 3-4 Inf) are derived from American units (Leonard's Company, 1st Regiment of Artillery, and the old 14th, 19th and 22nd Infantry Regiments) that were at Fort Niagara during the War of 1812. 52 (Niagara) Battery Royal Artillery (Holcroft's Company, 4th Battalion

Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...

Royal Scots The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment), once known as the Royal Regiment of Foot, was the oldest and most senior infantry regiment line infantry, of the line of the British Army, having been raised in 1633 during the reign of Charles I of England ...

and a number of other British units that fought at the Capture of Fort Niagara still exist today. A number of other units that served in the Fort in the War of 1812 (such as 20 Battery Royal Artillery (Caddy's Company, 4th Battalion Royal Artillery)) also endure.

Later use

The name "Old Fort Niagara" is associated with the fort today; it does not refer to its age but to distinguish the colonial-era fortress from its more modern namesake. In the post-Civil War era, the "New Fort Niagara" was built outside the original walls of the fort. The military abandoned the use of masonry forts in this era, having found that masonry fared poorly under bombardment. They built the new fort in the newer style of a military camp. The new Fort Niagara had a 1,000-yard rifle range, access to rail lines, and access to the industrial areas of

Niagara Falls Niagara Falls is a group of three waterfalls at the southern end of Niagara Gorge, spanning the Canada–United States border, border between the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Ontario in Canada and the state of New York (s ...

and

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is a Administrative divisions of New York (state), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York and county seat of Erie County, New York, Erie County. It lies in Western New York at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of ...

. Fort Niagara trained troops for the

Spanish–American War The Spanish–American War (April 21 – August 13, 1898) was fought between Restoration (Spain), Spain and the United States in 1898. It began with the sinking of the USS Maine (1889), USS ''Maine'' in Havana Harbor in Cuba, and resulted in the ...

. The United States was preparing for entry into

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

in June 1917, so the post began an officer training school which included Daniel W. Hand and Charles W. Ryder as instructors. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, Fort Niagara was an induction center before it became a prisoner of war camp for 1,200 German soldiers captured in the

North African Campaign The North African campaign of World War II took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943, fought between the Allies and the Axis Powers. It included campaigns in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts (Western Desert campaign, Desert Wa ...

. After the war, the fort provided temporary housing for returning veterans. Fort Niagara from Canadian Side 1

During the

Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...

, the fort was a headquarters for anti-aircraft artillery and later Nike missiles. The Niagara Falls Defense Area originally formed the northern half of the U.S. Army Anti-Aircraft Command defenses in western

New York State New York, also called New York State, is a state in the northeastern United States. Bordered by New England to the east, Canada to the north, and Pennsylvania and New Jersey to the south, its territory extends into both the Atlantic Ocean and ...

. After the amalgamation of the Niagara Falls and Buffalo Defense Areas, the

Army Air Defense Command Post An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...

moved to Lockport Air Force Station in

Cambria, New York Cambria is a town in Niagara County, New York, United States. The population was 5,743 at the 2020 census. Cambria is an early name for Wales. The Town of Cambria is in the center of Niagara County. New York State Route 93 and New York ...

. Formations directing US defenses included the 2nd Artillery Group (Air Defense), which had its headquarters at Fort Niagara from March 1958 to December 1961, superseded by the 31st Artillery Brigade (Air Defense), 101st Artillery Group, and 18th Artillery Group. The only battalion in the region was the 44th Anti-Aircraft Missile Battalion, superseded by the 1st Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment on September 1, 1958. The U.S. Army officially deactivated Fort Niagara in 1963. The 1/4 ADA moved to the Seattle Defense Area, where it was active from September 1972 to April 1974. Military presence on the site continues with the

United States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and Admiralty law, law enforcement military branch, service branch of the armed forces of the United States. It is one of the country's eight Uniformed services ...

operating at "The Bottoms". Fort Niagara is considered one of the longest continuously run military bases within the boundaries of the United States, from French control in 1726 to the present day. A formal operating license between Old Fort Niagara Association and the U.S. War Department in 1931 established rights of the non-profit to preserve and operate the fort. In 1949, Congress transferred Father Millet Cross National Monument to the State of New York, now a small memorial at Fort Niagara. In 1960, the fort was among the first sites to be designated a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a National Register of Historic Places property types, building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the Federal government of the United States, United States government f ...

by the Department of Interior's National Park Service.

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an List of federal agencies in the United States, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government, within the US Department of the Interior. The service manages all List ...

National Historic Landmark Survey, New York
. Retrieved June 6, 2007. and

Today

Front view of the French Castle at Fort Niagara

The renovated Fort Niagara now serves as Fort Niagara State Park and museum. It is often the site of historical reenactments of 18th-century battles that took place here. It is also a venue for period dances, fundraisers, and other special events (such as public displays, and shows relating to the history of the fort and the surrounding area). Fort Niagara is also designated as a State Historic Site, known as Old Fort Niagara State Historic Site. Fort Niagara was designated a National Historic Landmark on October 9, 1960, as "Old Fort Niagara". The Colonial Niagara Historic District was placed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

on October 15, 1966. It is a major contributing element to the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area. Lake Ontario from fort Niagara

Haunting legend

Some believe the site is haunted by a headless French soldier who was beheaded during a duel. It is said he wanders the grounds looking for his head.

References

* Taylor, Alan, ''The Divided Ground'', 2006,

External links

*
Historic Old Fort Niagara, by Claud H. Hulzén, Sr., Old Fort Niagara Association (1939), 62pp

NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation: Old Fort Niagara State Historic Site
*

Historic American Buildings Survey The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , , "little star", is a Typography, typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a star (heraldry), heraldic star. Computer scientists and Mathematici ...

(HABS): ** ** ** ** ** **
"The FORT of FOUR Nations" ''Popular Mechanics'', December 1934, pp.867–869

Fort Niagara in 1856
, from the Historical Society of Pennsylvania {{Authority control National Historic Landmarks in New York (state) Niagara Niagara Niagara New York (state) historic sites Niagara Niagara River Military and war museums in New York (state) Museums in Niagara County, New York Niagara Niagara Niagara Parks in Niagara County, New York Niagara Falls National Heritage Area Historic American Buildings Survey in New York (state) Niagara National Register of Historic Places in Niagara County, New York 1726 establishments in New France American Revolution on the National Register of Historic Places Military installations established in 1726 Military installations closed in 1963 1963 disestablishments in New York (state) World War II prisoner-of-war camps in the United States Military history of the Great Lakes National Historic Landmark Districts